Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Ed Markey, Bob Casey Introduce Warehouse Worker Protection Act to Address Dangerous Warehouse Quota Systems
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.), all members of the Senate Labor Committee, introduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, legislation that would protect warehouse workers by prohibiting dangerous work speed quotas that lead to high rates of worker injuries. The Senators introduced the legislation alongside workers and union leaders, including Teamsters Vice President Tom Erickson – the first Minnesota Teamster to take international office in over a decade – and Ladell Roberts, an organizer with Teamsters Local 120 in Blaine, MN. Large companies seek to maximize profits by using quota systems that push workers to their physical limits, resulting in high injury rates that can be permanently disabling. A new report released by the National Employment Law Project (NELP) and other worker groups demonstrates that one in fifteen Amazon workers sustain injuries. Amazon represents 79 percent of large warehouse employment but 86 percent of all injuries. Recent data shows also that more than half of workers reported that their production rate makes it hard for them to use the bathroom at least some of the time. “When workers have the power to come together and organize for better working conditions and safer workplaces, we all do better. These big companies hold a lot of power, and with their productivity metrics and quotas, they are literally controlling the lives of workers minute by minute,” said Senator Smith. “With this bill, we are saying, enough. We’re putting accountability back in this system and power back in the hands of workers subjected to systems that drive profits for billionaires while they
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Federal Funding for Solar Energy for Tribal Communities and Low-Income Households
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced two grants that will expand residential solar projects in Minnesota. The first grant will help increase solar adoption in lower-income communities who are often excluded from clean energy projects. The second award will help build solar energy capacity for Minnesota Tribal communities. These “Solar for All” grants are made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which both Klobuchar and Smith helped get passed into law. “When it comes to clean energy, I’ve always said we can either lead or follow. I think Minnesota should lead, and that’s exactly what these grants will enable us to do,” said Senator Tina Smith. “These grants will make solar power to accessible Minnesota communities who have traditionally been excluded from the energy transition, bringing them an energy source that is both clean and affordable.” Minnesota will benefit from two Solar for All grants. The Minnesota Department of Commerce will use their $62,450,000 funding to deliver financial support and technical assistance to low-income areas and communities historically left behind in the clean energy transition across Minnesota. The Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association, in conjunction with their partners GRID Alternatives, the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, and the Native CDFI Network, will use their $62,330,000 to deploy Tribally-owned residential solar, along with storage and necessary upgrades, for the benefit of the 35 Tribes located in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. ###
Sen. Smith’s Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Unacceptably High Maternal Mortality Passed Into Law
WASHINGTON [3.11.22] – Today, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that her bipartisan bill to reduce America’s uniquely high maternal mortality rate has been passed into law as part of the omnibus bill. While pregnancy-related deaths are declining around the world, the United States stands out as the only industrialized country with an increasing maternal mortality rate. The problem is particularly acute in rural areas and communities of color, with Black and Native women more than two and a half times more likely to die from pregnancy–related complications. The Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services (MOMS) Act takes important steps
Sen. Smith Introduces Bill to Provide Financial Stability for College Students Faced with Unexpected Emergencies
WASHINGTON [3.11.22] – Yesterday, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) reintroduced legislation to ensure college students are able to stay enrolled in school in the face of unexpected emergencies. For many students, paying for college requires carefully balancing student loan debts, jobs, and studies, which can be easily derailed by an unexpected costly event. The Emergency Grant Aid for College Students Act would provide financial stability for students struggling to manage a sudden death in the family, car repair, medical bill or any number of financial emergencies that too often force students to drop out of school. The bill is co-sponsored by
U.S. Sens. Smith, Durbin, King, Sinema, Rep. Neguse Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/10/22]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senators Angus King (I-ME), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), along with U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), introduced bicameral legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors, and the public for free. The legislation, known as the Affordable College Textbook Act, would authorize a competitive grant program to support the creation of and expand the use of open college textbooks—textbooks that are available under an open license, allowing professors, students, researchers, and others to freely access the materials. Textbook costs are
Sen. Klobuchar and Sen. Smith Help Secure Major Grant for Rochester Bus Infrastructure Improvements
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/10/22]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped secure $4,339,344 in funding to improve Rochester bus stops by adding shelters and benches, and to build a new park and ride featuring a new bus passenger platform. The upgrades will enhance safety for riders, better accommodate transfers between buses and attract new riders. “Investing in public transit infrastructure reduces traffic and makes it easier for Minnesotans to get to school, work, and other destinations,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “This critical funding will expand public transit service and boost efficiency in one of Minnesota’s fastest growing cities. I’ll keep
English